For preschoolers, fear of new foods is common — and responding can feel anything but simple Feeding children can be challenging. It is sometimes hard to know if you’re getting it right. The Conversation · May 7
B.C.’s switch to permanent DST adds to the ‘perfect storm’ for poorer adolescent sleep and mental health The British Columbia government recently announced the province will adopt permanent daylight saving time (DST). It framed the decision as a way to improve health, reduce disruptions, simplify scheduling and provide more evening daylight. The Conversation · Mar 9
Healthy habits and the holiday season: Tips for families to navigate eating, physical activity and sleep The holiday season is a time of exciting activities, family get-togethers and a time away from the normal work and school routine. As a result, your family, like many others, may feel like your usual routines are lost in the holiday hustle. Possible disruptions that can affect well-being and cause… The Conversation · Dec 17, 2025
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a big threat to women’s health, but it’s still under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance that affects ovaries, periods and fertility in about one in 10 Canadian women. Different from ovarian cysts, PCOS is associated with infertility, pregnancy complications, heart disease and a general decreased quality of life, and yet fewer than half of those affected even… The Conversation · Jul 17, 2025
Stress, not identity, drives riskier cannabis use among sexually diverse youth, new study finds Cannabis is undoubtedly a polarizing substance. On one side: a century of restrictive laws made cannabis illegal. This was based on little science. On the other side: a torrent of wellness claims encourage consumers to buy cannabis products. These claims are also based on little science. The Conversation · May 4, 2025
It’s World Immunization Week. How prepared is Canada if vaccines are needed for a new pandemic? With the global resurgence of many vaccine-preventable diseases, World Immunization Week (April 24-30) provides a timely opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the goal of “Immunization for All.” The Conversation · Apr 24, 2025
Service closures in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside leave sex workers without vital support In late February, the PACE Society, a long-standing pillar of support for sex workers in Vancouver, announced it was suspending services and programming and laying off most staff. For more than 30 years, PACE has provided peer support, counselling and basic services using a “by, for and with” sex workers… The Conversation · Apr 20, 2025
Cardiovascular disease: We know the impact of sex, but what role does gender play? Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the Global Burden of Disease study, which compiles and analyzes population health data from 204 countries, the number of CVD cases almost doubled between 1990 and 2019, rising from 271 million to 523 million worldwide. The Conversation · Apr 16, 2025
How to talk with children about Canada-U.S. tensions Mainstream public discourse in the first months of 2025 have been dominated by tensions between Canada and United States. These include references to Canada becoming annexed as the 51st American state and the trade war, with threats and the application of tariffs by the U.S. and counter-tariffs by Canada. The Conversation · Mar 31, 2025
When Canadian snowbirds don’t flock south, the costs are more than financial Every winter, hundreds of thousands of older Canadians spend the winter in the United States. But in recent weeks, we’ve seen many Canadian snowbirds shifting their attention to other matters. The Conversation · Mar 26, 2025
‘Pandemic babies’ turn 5: Here’s what research tells us about their development and remarkable resilience Early brain development lays the foundation for lifelong health and success. But disruptions to a child’s early environment can leave a long-lasting imprint on their development and success. The Conversation · Mar 10, 2025
From homes to hospitals, Canada’s food environments need reform Healthy eating sounds deceptively simple — just eat more fruits and vegetables and avoid junk food, right? However, healthy eating really isn’t easy. The Conversation · Feb 13, 2025
How Justin Trudeau’s resignation could affect the future of the Canadian Dental Care Plan Justin Trudeau’s resignation raises questions about the future of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). The Conversation · Jan 15, 2025
Who cares? How virtual health is changing in-home caregiving Seventy-five per cent of health care in Canada is provided at home by unpaid family caregivers. Not only is this essential health-care work often unrecognized and under-supported, it is rapidly changing. The Conversation · Oct 15, 2024
The Conversation · Aug 29, 2024 Outing a pretendian: How four Métis scholars redefined Indigenous identity policy Addressing the pretendian issue in Canada is deeply personal, for us, because we are the academics who uncovered and exposed Carrie Bourassa’s Indigenous identity fraud.
The Conversation · Jul 10, 2024 ‘I just want to keep playing:’ Why youth athletes under-report concussion symptoms Despite ongoing advocacy and education about the risks of concussions from organizations like the Sport Information Resource Centre, Hockey Canada, and legislation like Rowan’s Law, many young athletes still hesitate, or even neglect, to disclose symptoms when they are hurt.
The Conversation · Jul 10, 2024 Despite Ontario workers’ compensation reforms, migrant workers are still being left behind Migrant agricultural workers are employed in one of Canada’s most hazardous industries. The precarious nature of their temporary contracts makes these workers further vulnerable to a variety of health issues, including workplace injury and illness.
The Conversation · Jun 20, 2024 Social media warning labels and school cell phone bans: Do they unlock better youth mental health? This week, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for health warnings on social media for younger users. This recent call follows an earlier Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, also published by the Surgeon General.
The Conversation · Jun 18, 2024 Infant’s tragic death after neglect sparks urgent calls for system changes As a community in Kingston, Ont., grapples with the shocking death of a seven-month-old infant who was allegedly abandoned for several days, questions arise as to how such a tragedy could unfold. A surviving three-year-old sibling was also rescued from the home and brought to hospital in need of medical…
The Conversation · Jun 13, 2024 The key to raising secure children: Why parental sensitivity matters for fathers and mothers Have you ever heard of children’s attachment or attachment theory? If you are a parent, caregiver or an educator, chances are that it rings a bell. Children’s attachment refers to a strong emotional bond that children develop toward people who care for them.
The Conversation · May 15, 2024 Climate change is a new hurdle for children’s physical activity levels in Canada The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, the most comprehensive assessment of children’s physical activity in Canada, recently gave the country a D+ in overall physical activity.
The Conversation · Jan 8, 2024 Service dogs play vital roles for veterans, but Canada's lack of standards makes travel and access difficult It is becoming common to see dogs assisting people with their mental health in Canadian communities. Over the past five years, our research lab has been studying the benefits of service dogs for Canadian veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress injuries and other mental health challenges.
The Conversation · Dec 5, 2023 Want to know if your data are managed responsibly? Here are 15 questions to help you find out As the volume and variety of data about people increases, so does the number of ideas about how data might be used. Studies show that many people want their data to be used for public benefit.
The Conversation · Oct 18, 2023 The Chinese government claims LGBTQ+ people are protected from discrimination. Our interviews with 26 activists tell another story In China, LGBTQ+ activists and groups are consistently targeted by authorities and tech platforms. This is done digitally through computer algorithms, and physically by law enforcement and state security personnel trying to constrain their work.
The Conversation · Oct 15, 2023 The impact of work on well-being: 6 factors that will affect the future of work and health inequalities Work has long been considered a social determinant of health. Like housing, education, income security and other matters of economic and social policy, work can be a key factor in creating, maintaining or exacerbating unequal health outcomes across different societal groups.